Solar cells (e.g., photovoltaic cells) may produce energy without emitting a significant amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases by converting light (e.g., sunlight) into electricity. However, the positive environmental effects from the use of solar cells may be at least partially offset by other environmental effects associated with their use. For instance, while there are no greenhouse gas emissions associated with generating electricity from solar energy, there may be greenhouse gas emissions associated with other stages of the solar life-cycle, including manufacturing, materials transportation, installation, maintenance, and the like. In addition, solar cells are often low albedo surfaces intended to absorb, rather than reflect, sunlight. Thus, solar cells may produce a net earth-warming effect, particularly when deployed over high albedo surfaces.